Social Media Shenanigans:Painful Policies

Most scholars and students feel a noose around their neck when you mention rules. For teens, they believe it’s just a bunch of adults ganging up against them, telling them what they can and cannot do, when they are responsible enough to manage their own lives, if given half a chance. Add social media platforms and online lives into the mix and they pretty much feel they know way more than you in any event, so listening to anything you have to say is more painful than getting a new tattoo or piercing.

Schools have taken their social media rules very seriously for the protection of all pupils, even making sure that the rules governing the schools stance on online behavior has been written by experienced attorneys or cyber professionals. Each school has their own unique set of rules and as parents you can rest assured that they will not hesitate to enforce their policies, even to the extent of expulsion of problematic pupils.

Cyber bullying is the most prevalent issue plaguing schools in the age of pandemic induced online schooling. The statistics for suicide and depression amongst teens is the highest it’s ever been and a prominent factor contributing these numbers is the vicious and cruel practice of cyber bullying. In addition to facing disciplinary action by the school board, pupils can also now face criminal prosecution for cyber bullying. Make sure that you acquaint yourself with your child’s school policy and have a discussion with them about the consequences if the rules are not adhered to. Make sure your children understand that their comments on sensitive and controversial issues is something they need to be able to discuss with you before posting their opinions on any online platforms.

Dumb dares have landed many a good student in hot water before the days of viral posting but in the age that we currently live in, the consequences are no longer a few days of suspension or mandatory counseling. By the time you become aware that your child had been involved in some silly prank or dare, half the community already knows and your child is receiving hate mail and being harassed. Make sure that your kids understand the dangers of allowing themselves to be videoed and that once its out in there in the cyber world, very little can be done to take it back.

Teacher troubles used to be that awkward meeting on parents evening, where both you and the teacher wish you were somewhere else. These days, anything your child says about their teachers online has the potential to get your child suspended and worse still, expelled. Make sure you educate your children on thrash talking about their teachers. As mentioned in a previous post, the screenshot is from the devil. A trusted friend can screenshot what is meant to be a private rant by your child and in the blink of an eye, half the school population has had sight of it. One seemingly innocent comment made in frustration could cost your child a place at the school and cost him/her scholarships too.

School computers and school networks should never be used to post anything not directly related to schoolwork. It is very likely that schools have dedicated staff for IT related matters and your child’s online behavior can be traced back to them. It’s easy to assume that the schools security is top notch and students make themselves vulnerable by posting confidential information whilst using school computers. Photo’s of newly acquired ID’s and learners licenses with sensitive information on display might seem harmless until you realize your child’s identity has been stolen and one simple post is going to cost you many painful hours to fix.

Never let your child share check-ins when on school field trips. Online and parallel learning has given many kids cabin fever. When things return to some semblance of normality you can be certain that the excitement of being able to do life as ‘normal’ again is going to nudge your kids into over sharing where they are what they are doing. Caution them against this dangerous practice as this opens them up to the risks of online predators zeroing in on them. A scary conversation to have but one that is entirely necessary.

Talk to your kids about boisterous or aggressive online banter. Make sure they understand that the issuing of threats, even if it’s just verbal bluster, can have dire repercussions. As soon as police receive information of any perceived threat, they are entitled to launch a full-scale investigation. You do not want your child in the middle of such an investigation. Its common for youngsters to throw around empty threats on social media but beware that such actions may lead to serious consequences for your child.

Depending on whether your child attends a public or private school, social media policies for managing online behavior could be very different. Some schools may not object to scholars airing their views on politics, gender issues, race issues or religious issues while some schools specifically address such things in their written policies, outlining dire consequences for any breaches. Make sure that you and your child are aware of the contents of these policies.

Encourage your child to avoid posting while angry, irritated, annoyed, upset or irate. Things can be said which cannot be taken back and it may be something they come to deeply regret. It might bring some temporary relief to vent and let their voices be heard, but caution your kids that this could come at the expense of their life as a scholar. Nag them about these 2 simple actions. Think. Breathe. Then decide if the post is necessary or is it something they can veer away from and still enjoy life as they know it.

My final thoughts on this would be:

Do get involved with your child’s online life and monitor their behavior

Do read up on the Cyber Crimes Act and what it could mean for your children

Do realize that breach of school cyber policies can lead to expulsion of your child from the school